The 35-week project followed a £1.7m investment by the Council and has transformed a former storage depot into 6,576 sq ft of space for local businesses.
LST was responsible for constructing the new units and the associated services and external works. The existing building was demolished and the sloping site, which covers around 0.95 acres, was bulk excavated by LST to obtain a level footprint for the new buildings. After an analysis of the ground conditions, LST also carried out soil improvement works to stabilise the subbase and enable traditional construction.
The near surface chalk was homogenised to increase its strength to a depth of 600mm below the underside of the hardcore slab. This was achieved by treating the existing site material with a specialist cement, which enabled the proposed piling scheme to be reduced from 119 pile down to just 54. This resulted in less construction waste and fewer HGV movements to and from the site, improving the scheme’s environmental credentials.
The development is targeting a BREEAM Very Good rating, which has seen a range of energy efficiency measures installed, including 78 photovoltaic panels on the roof.
The former Bishops Waltham depot had been vacant for almost a year and a half. The new scheme has been designed to support businesses in the southern parishes of the district, providing high quality space in the popular market town.